The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium hortorum bailey known by the varietal name Sabrina (Oglevee No. 126). The new variety was discovered in a selective breeding program in April of 1982 in West Chicago, Ill. The new variety is a first generation selfed progeny of the variety Morgengrus. The new variety was first asexually reproduced by cuttings at Pan American Seed Company in West Chicago, Ill. on or about November of 1983. The new variety has been repeatedly asexually reproduced by cuttings at Oglevee Floral Company in Connellsville, Pa. over a several year period. It has also been trial and field tested at Connellsville and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.
The new variety has large round umbels of single florets with similar pedicel length and zoned foliage when compared to Morgengrus. The new variety differs from Morgengrus in that the petal color has a more unique coral red color as compared to the salmon color of Morgengrus. In addition the more densely packed umbel gives the overall effect of semi-doubleness.
The new cultivar when grown in a glass greenhouse in Connellsville, Pa. using natural light and 60.degree. F. (night), 68.degree. F. (day) and 71.degree. F. (vent) has a response time of six weeks from a rooted cutting to flowering in a 10 cm pot. This response time was determined on plants grown in a soilless media employing constant fertilizer of 275-300 parts per million nitrogen and potassium and in full light.